Petroleum coke proppant particulates and methods related thereto

Abstract

Proppant particulates like sand are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. Fracturing fluids and methods of hydraulic fracturing may also use proppant particulates composed of agitated petroleum coke particles (referred to as agitated petroleum coke proppant particulates). In some instances, the agitated petroleum coke proppant particulates are characterized by a particle density of equal to or less than about 1.6 grams per cubic centimeter. The agitation processing of the present disclosure can remove petroleum coke particles having initiated cracking or scissions that are prone to fines production.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A proppant particulate comprising:
 a petroleum coke particle composed of at least one of fluid coke or flexicoke, wherein the petroleum coke particle has undergone agitation processing.   
     
     
         2 . The proppant particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the agitation processing comprises transloading agitation. 
     
     
         3 . The proppant particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the agitation processing comprises drying agitation. 
     
     
         4 . The proppant particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the agitation processing comprises sieving agitation. 
     
     
         5 . The proppant particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the petroleum coke is fluid coke. 
     
     
         6 . The proppant particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the petroleum coke is flexicoke. 
     
     
         7 . The proppant particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the proppant particulate has a particle density of equal to or less than about 1.6 grams per centimeter. 
     
     
         8 . A fracturing fluid comprising:
 a carrier fluid; and   proppant particulates comprising a petroleum coke particle composed of fluid coke or flexicoke, wherein the petroleum coke particle has undergone agitation processing.   
     
     
         9 . The fracturing fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the agitation processing comprises transloading agitation. 
     
     
         10 . The fracturing fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the agitation processing comprises drying agitation. 
     
     
         11 . The fracturing fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the agitation processing comprises sieving agitation. 
     
     
         12 . The fracturing fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the petroleum coke is fluid coke. 
     
     
         13 . The fracturing fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the petroleum coke is flexicoke. 
     
     
         14 . The fracturing fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the proppant particulate has a particle density of equal to or less than about 1.6 grams per centimeter. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 providing petroleum coke particles composed of fluid coke or flexicoke; and   agitation processing the petroleum coke particles, thereby producing agitation processed petroleum coke proppant particulates.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the agitation processing comprises transloading agitation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the agitation processing comprises drying agitation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the agitation processing comprises sieving agitation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the petroleum coke is fluid coke. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the petroleum coke is flexicoke. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the proppant particulate has a particle density of equal to or less than about 1.6 grams per centimeter. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising introducing the agitation processed petroleum coke proppant particulates into a subterranean formation in a fracturing fluid comprising a carrier fluid.